Multiple brush fires burn over 40 acres across McHenry County; ‘controlled’ burns eyed as cause

Firefighters across McHenry County responded to four brush fires that collectively burned over 40 acres of land Wednesday, officials report.

Three fires near Woodstock and one near Union occurred within hours of each other and “required extensive cooperation” among multiple departments and mutual aid partners, said Alex Vucha, public information officer for Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts, Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and the Harvard Fire Protection District.

Firefighters from the Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts responded to the first fire at 12:56 p.m. to the 1500 block of Vermont Road near Woodstock. First responders arrived to a “fire moving across a pasture and threatening a nearby barn,” Vucha said in the release.

Crews were able to stop the fire before it reached the barn, and about three acres of land were burned. Union and Woodstock firefighters also assisted at the scene.

“Although the barn sustained minor damage, firefighters conducted a full check of the building to ensure there was no hidden fire before clearing the scene,” Vucha said in the release.

While still cleaning up the first fire, Marengo firefighters were dispatched at 2 p.m. to the 17700 block of Route 176 near union for a second fire. Crews arrived to “roughly an acre of land along the roadway actively burning,” Vucha said in the release.

Winds quickly intensified and spread the fire west through “dense woods and heavy vegetation,” Vucha said in the release. Crews upgraded the call to a second alarm through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, bringing in brush trucks, UTVs, water tenders and more firefighters.

That fire was brought under control in about 90 minutes after burning approximately 20 acres, according to Vucha. Fire departments and districts from Belvidere, Crystal Lake, Genoa-Kingston, Harvard, McHenry, Pingree Grove, Union, Wonder Lake and Woodstock assisted.

About 40 minutes after the second fire was called in, Woodstock Fire/Rescue District firefighters responded to a brush fire at 2:42 p.m. at the 3100 block of Country Club Road near Woodstock. Crews arrived to a “1,000-foot stretch of land on fire, spreading quickly to the west,” Vucha said in the release. Firefighters entered the field on a UTV and contained the fire within 45 minutes. About eight acres of land burned and no injuries were reported.

At 4:46 p.m., the Harvard Fire Protection District responded to a brush fire at the 4700 block of Alden Road near Woodstock.

“Fire was observed moving rapidly through cattails on the west side of the property,” Vucha said in the release.

Firefighters, with additional assistance and a UTV requested from the Hebron-Alden-Greenwood Fire Protection District, stopped the fire before it reached nearby buildings. The fire burned approximately 12 acres, according to Vucha.

“All of the fires were determined to be intentionally set by property owners attempting controlled burns,” Vucha said in the release. “While the Red Flag Warning has expired, today’s events are a reminder that even seemingly routine burns can quickly grow out of control under the right conditions.”

Residents are urged to follow all local regulations, take extra caution during dry or windy weather and always have suppression tools and a water source available during outdoor burns, Vucha said in the release.